Buying travel insurance

It's not as fun as planning your itinerary, booking your accommodation or packing your bags, but buying travel insurance is one of the most important parts of any overseas journey.

Travelling can be one of the most exciting times of your life, however, it also presents some risks. But find a comprehensive policy and you can travel with peace of mind, knowing you'll be covered if the unexpected happens.

At Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI), we've been protecting Kiwi travellers with award-winning cover for over 35 years. Read on to discover whether an SCTI policy could be the right option for your next journey overseas.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance can be difficult to understand, especially if it’s your first time travelling abroad. Let’s look into some of the basic concepts and terms you’ll encounter while researching your cover.

Travel insurance can be thought of as a contract between you and the insurer. The insurer agrees to compensate you if unexpected events leave you out-of-pocket (like if you need to visit a hospital, for example). To be eligible for this protection, you must adhere to all of the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy (like not leaving your valuables unattended, for example).

The type of compensation that your travel insurer agrees to provide you is called a benefit. Common benefits in travel insurance include cover for medical emergencies, lost luggage and travel delays.

The amount of compensation that your travel insurer agrees to provide is called a cover limit. For example, our TravelCare policy provides compensation up to $25,000 per journey for your baggage and personal items (subject to terms and conditions).

Why do you need travel insurance?

Travel insurance can protect you in so many different ways. You can protect yourself from the cost of things like:

Medical emergencies

Lost, stolen and damaged valuables

Rental vehicle excess

Travel delays

Cancelling your trip

Not all countries have the same quality of medical care that New Zealand enjoys, and hospitalisation can cost a small fortune in countries like the USA, Switzerland and Scandinavia.

The point is, you just never know when the unexpected will happen, especially while travelling. And when you consider all of the other simple things that can go wrong, like a lost passport or a broken phone, it pays to know that someone has your back.

How do you find the right travel insurance policy?

It’s important that your travel insurance provides a broad range of benefits, with sufficient cover that suits your needs.

If you’re travelling to enjoy action sports like skiing and snowboarding, or planning to ride a motorbike overseas, you should also find a policy that can be tailored to include these extra activities - like our TravelCare policy.

If you have pre-existing medical conditions or intend to travel with high-value items, you should also look for a policy that allows you to seek specific cover for these, so you can be confident that you have the level of cover you need.

Why SCTI?

As New Zealand’s leading travel insurer, we’re dedicated to providing exceptional cover at a great price, so Kiwis can travel with confidence. We’re humbled to have received a Feefo service rating of 4.6/5*.